Krishnapriya Devashree

93. The Cycle of Karma

The Sudarshan spun faster than ever before. Pulling everything inside itself like it had a blackhole at it's centre. Lakshmi and Narayan spun together in a furious, mesmerizing dance. Their foreheads touched and their eyes closed, as if they were sealing themselves away from everything beyond this moment. They surrendered everything—their senses, their thoughts, their responsibilities—all given up because this universe has failed them.

 The cries of the Devgans, the pleas of the rishis, and the terrified voices of the beings across creation—all of it fell silent. Nothing reached their ears, nothing penetrated inside. It was as if they had folded into their own world, numb to everything but each other's presence. It was utterly deaf and mute all around...

All expect one voice.

ऊँ ह्रीं ह्रीं श्री लक्ष्मी वासुदेवाय नम:।

ऊँ ह्रीं श्री क्रीं क्लीं श्री लक्ष्मी मम गृहे धन पूरये,
धन पूरये, चिंताएं दूरये-दूरये स्वाहा:

 It was Sridama. His voice alone managed to reach them. 

For it is the bhakt's devotion that governed the gods. And it is so potent that it can pull even the highest divinities back from the brink.

So LakshmiNarayan were forced to open their eyes. And there he stood—Sridama, his hands folded in a deep pranam.

"Why have you called us Sridama?" Lakshmi asked. Sridama opened his eyes slowly, lifting his gaze upwards to meet theirs. He looked like a small, fragile child before the towering forms of LakshmiNarayan.

"Kshama kare mate, Maata," Sridama bowed his head low. "I merely complied with the wishes of Brahmadev. I am but a humble servant, doing as I was asked."

At that moment, Brahmadev appeared beside him "I apologize. I had no other option."

"What is it now, Brahmadev? Is there anything left of this universe that demands our intervention?"  Lakshmi asked.

"Are you sure about this behen? About what you are doing?"

"Bhrata, you know well, there are rules in this nature, principles that even the gods cannot break If those laws are broken, the delicate balance we strive to maintain crumbles. One broken rule leads to another, a chain reaction that spirals into chaos and ruins the natural order. Tell me, Brahmadev, is this not what has already happened? Have the laws not been bent, broken, and shattered in the pursuit of selfish desires? Am I wrong?"

"No. You are not wrong"

"Then what do you think will happen to such world where the Karma Chakra has failed? Where the laws of karma are no longer being followed by the cycle itself?"

Brahmadev looked away. "It will become, a land of adharma beyond the actions of gods. A realm no god's intervention can restore order. Such a world would spiral into darkness, consumed by its own injustice."

"And what should should be done with such a world?"

"It must be destroyed." Bramhadev whispered.

"Then why hesitate, Brahmadev?" she asked. "If even the Creator himself sees no other way, then why continue this farce?"

"But.."

"It started from the day when Kaamdev was burnt to ashes by Mahadev's wrath. When one injustice was meted out without cause, without the due cycle of karma. The moment an innocent was destroyed without recourse, the Karma Chakra learned a new thing. A new possibility was carved into the fabric of the universe. It learned that sometimes, even the gods could break the sacred laws of dharma. There was a way to end this...to reverse everything that happened! But Mahadev doesn't want to do that for heaven know what and now there is no option left but to destroy it all."